In November I was doing a cell phone shop and the manager knew I was the shopper. Because of this I've been banned from all IPSOS cell phone shops, just for being outed one time. Has this happened to anyone else?

How did the manager know you were a shopper. How do you know they knew.

How did he know you were the shopper was it the stupid questions required? Sometimes the requirements are such that you might as well get a huge post it note and write I AM A SHOPPER On it. Their loss not yours- generally their shops are a BIG pain the rear for a not so great fee so do not sweat it.

Glad to see I’m not the only one either my reply going through multiple times lol

@ebit123 wrote:

How did they know? How do you know they knew?

I had been in the store a few times before, asking the SAME questions. That's how they know. You have to ask the SAME questions every time.

So I'm not the only one this has happened to, if you're reported just once as a mystery shopper, you're banned from doing they shops ever again? They will lose shoppers very quickly this way. I use to do their other shops at the lower rates, not anymore. From now on, with them I wait for bonuses.

I'm sure the store manager knows. They get the reports. They know who orders the reports. It appears this has happened to others using IPSOS>

I'm sure the store manager knows. They get the reports. They know who orders the reports. It appears this has happened to others using IPSOS. The report was from Nov 2023, so it took 2 months.

Wow this is annoying with every answer repeated three times. I hope they fix that soon.
I once got outed through no fault of my own. It was based on my report and the manager called the msc and said they knew who I was . it was not for IPSOS but I was banned from all the locations. My shop was a pick up shop so I was never seen face to face by the manager. Fortunately a few years later that job was being shopped by a different msc. so I was able to do them again. There are other msc that do cell phone shops so look around and you might easily replace them.

I'm just surprised companies would throw away good mystery shoppers that easily. I do work for several companies. There is another line of mystery shops for $12. The one's I was banned from paid $16. They were one of my biggest income shops.

If these are the ones for a particular electronics manufacturer, it would be interesting to know how IPSOS was made aware of you being outed as "the shopper". If you told IPSOS that a manager knows you're a shopper, I can understand why you were banned.

It’s one lame excuse after another with Ipsos. If you were doing those Electronics Mystery Shops with the selfie in front of the store, then I can see why you were banned.

Those shops are traps. If they didn’t deactivate you for being outed as a shopper, then it would’ve been another lame excuse. I knew someone that was deactivated from that project because they did “too many” of them.

What a blessing! Congratulations!

This was the shop where you take a selfie. I did tell IPSOS I was outed as a shopper at this one store and I would not go back to this store. That is no reason for them to ban me from every cell phone shop. It's their loss.

you only need to click "reply" one time.

@johnb974 - I think you did it to yourself. No way would I have volunteered that I was outed. If you could not complete the shop for that reason, I would have either let the shop fall off or let them know that you had something beyond your control come up and could not complete the shop. Then I would ban myself from that store location for a minimum of one year. Otherwise, you leave the impression with the MSC that you give yourself away.

You said, "I'm just surprised companies would throw away good mystery shoppers...."
First, "good" mystery shoppers don't get outed. Second, if they do, "good" mystery shoppers don't run and tell that they were outed. Instead, if you are outed, you learn from your mistake, don't make it again, and don't go back to that store. Mystery shoppers are type of actor. You're playing a character. Once you break character, you are at risk of being outed. I've had one close call, but salvaged it only because I don't think the employee had any clue what a mystery shopper is. Once it got weird, I just embraced the role of the weird customer.

I am careful with the gas audits I do. Several store owners know me. To combat against being spotted before the reveal, I switch up the days and hours I go. Sometimes I wear a face mask, sometimes a hat, sometimes glasses, sometimes contacts, sometimes I am really dressed up, sometimes facial hair, sometimes clean-shaven.

@johnb974 wrote:

This was the shop where you take a selfie. I did tell IPSOS I was outed as a shopper at this one store and I would not go back to this store. That is no reason for them to ban me from every cell phone shop. It's their loss.

MF did me, then terminated me. It was a FF pizza chain I did too many times. Spit.

@Morledzep wrote:

you only need to click "reply" one time.

I blame this crappy board.

The reply window hung up and never showed the message as being posted, so I refreshed and re-clicked.

Normally this crappy board will let you know when a duplicate message is trying to post, but I guess this crappy board is just being extra-crappy of late.

My favorite "feature" of this crappy board is how the window jumps when you attempt to post a reply, negating the first click and requiring a second.

@CoolMusic wrote:

@Morledzep wrote:

you only need to click "reply" one time.

I blame this crappy board.

The reply window hung up and never showed the message as being posted, so I refreshed and re-clicked.

Normally this crappy board will let you know when a duplicate message is trying to post, but I guess this crappy board is just being extra-crappy of late.

My favorite "feature" of this crappy board is how the window jumps when you attempt to post a reply, negating the first click and requiring a second.

C'mon, Cool, show some respect. This place gives us a spot to come together to network, commiserate, and air grievances that otherwise would only be heard by somebody who likely wasn't in the business. It's not perfect, but it's what we've got, so don't be a jerk about it. If you don't want the window to jump, click outside the dialog box before you hit reply.

You must have been in an extra-crappy mood this morning.

@ServiceAward wrote:

@johnb974 - I think you did it to yourself. No way would I have volunteered that I was outed. If you could not complete the shop for that reason, I would have either let the shop fall off or let them know that you had something beyond your control come up and could not complete the shop. Then I would ban myself from that store location for a minimum of one year. Otherwise, you leave the impression with the MSC that you give yourself away.

You said, "I'm just surprised companies would throw away good mystery shoppers...."
First, "good" mystery shoppers don't get outed. Second, if they do, "good" mystery shoppers don't run and tell that they were outed. Instead, if you are outed, you learn from your mistake, don't make it again, and don't go back to that store. Mystery shoppers are type of actor. You're playing a character. Once you break character, you are at risk of being outed. I've had one close call, but salvaged it only because I don't think the employee had any clue what a mystery shopper is. Once it got weird, I just embraced the role of the weird customer.

I am careful with the gas audits I do. Several store owners know me. To combat against being spotted before the reveal, I switch up the days and hours I go. Sometimes I wear a face mask, sometimes a hat, sometimes glasses, sometimes contacts, sometimes I am really dressed up, sometimes facial hair, sometimes clean-shaven.

The shop happened in Nov. 2023, 2 months ago. There was no way I would have known this would happen, even by letting the MSP I was outed on this shop. There is also no reason for them to ban me from EVERY cell phone shop. It was one shop.

You change how you look for some shops? That is extreme. You're not working for the FBI, CIA or NSA.

Many of the shop owners know who the mystery shoppers are, from the questions we are required to ask, again and again and again. I've had shop workers tell me this, several times. I had a friend who worked for a fast food place I've done mystery shops for. They told me, anytime they had an order for a single person, asking for 3 items (entree, side order, drink) the word went out, "Mystery Shopper, Mystery Shopper" I had a cell phone store manager tell me, they know who the mystery shoppers are, because they are the ONLY one's asking questions.

It also depends on the manager, if they want to report you. Many managers don't report because they want a good report. If they know who you are, they say what you want to hear.

By the way, if you do a mystery shop/ open audit. They know you're the mystery shopper the second time you walk in. You did an open audit with them before.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2024 03:12AM by johnb974.

deleted by Mod

It sucks that you were banned from doing these shops, but not the end of the world. Morledzep was just answering your original question of "has this happened to anyone else?" She stated she had been banned/deactivated for various reasons and life still goes on. She took the time to answer a question you posted and it appears you're ungrateful. I'm not sure what answer you're looking for. Spend more time appealing to Ipsos? Wait for the ban to expire? I highly respect what Service and Morled have to say as they seem to be very experienced shoppers, give good advice, and I don't think they "spend way too much time on posts."

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2024 01:10AM by Mellifluy.

@Mellifluy wrote:

It sucks that you were banned from doing these shops, but not the end of the world. Morledzep was just answering your original question of "has this happened to anyone else?" She stated she had been banned/deactivated for various reasons and life still goes on. She took the time to answer a question you posted and it appears you're ungrateful. I'm not sure what answer you're looking for. Spend more time appealing to Ipsos? Wait for the ban to expire? I highly respect what Service and Morled have to say as they seem to be very experienced shoppers, give good advice, and I don't think they "spend way too much time on posts."

I never said it was the end of the world. But some on here used my post to vent, trying to shut down any discussion on the issue. I said I have many other shops to do, and it's on IPSOS for losing a good shopper. I do find it funny that Service disguises themselves for some shops they might be outed in. We're not spies, or working for the FBI, CIA or NSA. My friends find that funny.

It was a simple post on a job I did, asking if anyone else had the same experience with IPOS. Others made a mountain out of a molehill.

I might have done the same and told the MSC so I didn't get labeled as a flake. I would never imagine they would ban me from all locations. Now, after reading of john's experience, it it easy to say I would do it differently.

@mystery2me wrote:

I might have done the same and told the MSC so I didn't get labeled as a flake. I would never imagine they would ban me from all locations. Now, after reading of john's experience, it it easy to say I would do it differently.

I was being honest with them and look at what happened. I have a feeling at some MSC there are people who will ban shoppers for any reason they want to. They like to feel powerful.

ServiceAward opines--....."good" mystery shoppers don't get outed.

Bob comments--I disagree. I KNOW of three occasions I have been outed, each due to floating employees seeing me in locations that were not remotely in the same area.

ServiceAward adds--"good" mystery shoppers don't run and tell that they were outed.

Bob adds--I definitely agree.

John states--Many of the shop owners know who the mystery shoppers are, from the questions we are required to ask, again and again and again.

Bob opines--Amen and Awoman.

@shopperbob wrote:

ServiceAward opines--....."good" mystery shoppers don't get outed.

Bob comments--I disagree. I KNOW of three occasions I have been outed, each due to floating employees seeing me in locations that were not remotely in the same area.

ServiceAward adds--"good" mystery shoppers don't run and tell that they were outed.

Bob adds--I definitely agree.

John states--Many of the shop owners know who the mystery shoppers are, from the questions we are required to ask, again and again and again.

Bob opines--Amen and Awoman.

I was being honest with IPSOS.....getting banned shows where being honest with IPSOS gets you. Never again.

Almost any other MSC would have been accommodating.

I do a gas station that I'm sure the employee knows its me the second I walk in. Because I've been there a few times before doing revealed audits. If I got banned from every gas station I'd be bummed too.